


Birthday Cake

by inbarati



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-14
Updated: 2010-04-14
Packaged: 2017-10-08 23:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inbarati/pseuds/inbarati





	Birthday Cake

Xander licked the chocolate frosting-from-a-can off his fingers. He knew it was pathetic, but when everyone had forgotten his birthday, he had gone home and made himself a cake. There were benefits, though. He didn't have to share with anyone.

He cut himself a big slice, drizzled chocolate syrup on it, and wandered into the living room. Flicking on the TV, he flopped down onto the couch. Mmmm…cake. …Crap. Xander looked longingly at the kitchen. He had forgotten a fork. Several minutes went by, as he tried moving one from the kitchen to his hand using only the power of his mind, and checked to see if there was a 'fork' button on the remote control.

He decided to forgo the fork. Digging two fingers into the soft cake, he brought them to his mouth, sucking the chocolate off with a smacking sound. Sighing happily, he relaxed into the sofa cushions. Chocolate really did make everything better.

He nearly got cake up his nose a few minutes later, when a pounding at the door startled him. He got up to answer it without relinquishing his cake. Opening the door, he found Spike with his arms full of packages. "Umm… hi Spike. I hope you don't think you're moving in."

"These are for you, you ungrateful prat. The girls felt bad for forgetting your birthday and sent me over to make peace. You gonna let me in, or should I just pitch the whole lot over the threshold?" Spike shifted the packages.

"Oh. Umm… come in, then." Xander put the cake on top of the TV, and took some of the packages from Spike, putting them on the coffee table. Spike followed suit, and then flopped down on the couch.

Xander shut the door and picked up his cake again. Scooping another two fingers full, he sucked the gooey concoction off them, licking his lips to chase the chocolate syrup that threatened to escape. Spike was staring at his lips. Damn, he was gonna have to share the cake after all. "You want a piece?" Xander gestured with his plate.

Spike's eyes got wide for a second, but then his gazed focused on the cake. "Err… later maybe," Spike said vaguely. "Gotta open your pressies first, yeah?"

Xander put the cake back down. Spike was being really… sweet. "These are all for me?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Said so, didn't I?"

Xander picked up the first box, holding it reverently. He slowly picked the tape off, unwrapping the present without damaging the paper. Spike got up and started to pace, but uncharacteristically, said nothing.

"Wow…" Xander breathed, as the untorn paper fluttered to the floor. Babylon 5, The Complete First Season, the box said. He had always wanted the DVDs, but never could justify the expense, especially after Anya had given him an earful about the collector's plates. And usually gifts from the girls were a little more… utilitarian, reflecting their interests rather than his. Last year, Buffy had given him an axe, and Willow had given him a book on demonic poisons and how they could be cured. The axe had come in handy on patrol, and the Scoobies had all benefited from the book, though, so he hadn't complained.

"Open the card." Spike lit a cigarette and continued to pace.

"This card good for the succeeding seasons, as you finish each one. Happy geeking, Spike." Xander read. He stared at the sexy vampire, who had stopped to watch him read the card. No, not sexy. Just Spike. "Spike, you hate Bab 5."

"So? You like it. Besides, I was just taking the piss with ya. I've never actually seen it."

"Oh." Xander blinked. Spike was being really nice. "How did you know my birthday?" He asked suspiciously.

"Told ya, the girls sent me. Couldn't come empty handed, could I?"

"Oh." Xander spared a thought as to why the girls hadn't come themselves, but decided not to ask. He probably didn't want to hear the answer. Besides, being with Spike was… well, easier, somehow.

"Well? I can wait an eternity for you to open the rest of them, mate, but you're not getting any younger." Spike gestured at the table.

"Oh… yeah." Xander picked up the next box.

Spike paced as Xander unwrapped each present carefully, but never attempted to hurry him. There was a new set of woodworking tools, several pieces of rare and expensive wood, a book of carving designs, a six-pack of Hershey's syrup, and a set of gorgeous silver throwing knives engraved with runes with a card that gave free lessons on how to throw them. All the gifts had cards, and all the cards were from Spike.

 

"Spike, none of these are from the girls."

"Well, no, not so much."

"Why are you buying me presents, Spike? You don't even like me!"

Spike sighed. "Can't a bloke change his opinions every now and again?"

Xander thought about that for a few seconds. "You like me?"

Spike stepped into Xander's personal space. "Yeah."

Xander stepped back and picked up his cake, sucking on another finger full, and thought for a minute. His eyes got wide. "Like, like?" He almost choked on the cake. "But Anya… and … I'm straight!"

"Anya and you have been split for months now, Xan. And you forget, I know about Oxnard."

"You WHAT?!?!" Xander started to hyperventilate. "I never… I mean… not even in my journal… I never told anyone!"

"Told me. Remember? In the basement? We got pissed on a bottle of rotgut I stole from your dad, and you told me the whole story."

Xander thought hard. He did have a vague recollection of getting drunk with Spike one night in the basement, shortly after the vampire had moved in with him. "Oh geez," he covered his face with his free hand, and sank down on the couch. "Who have you told?"

"No one, Xan. Not gonna tell anyone either."

"Why not? It's the best blackmail material you could get on a Scooby." Xander cracked a joke at his own expense, as usual.

Spike sat next to him on the couch, but didn't touch him. "Wouldn't be a good way to prove that I like you, would it?"

Xander looked at Spike. "You know, the niceness is really giving me the wiggins, here."

Spike sighed. "You want me to blackmail you?" A slow grin spread across his face. "Okay then. I want a kiss."

"A k-k-kiss?" Xander stuttered.

"Right. One kiss buys my silence on this matter for all of eternity."

"Just one?" Xander was almost disappointed.

Spike grinned. "Doesn't mean you can't kiss me for other reasons, git."

"B-b-but! No! No kissing! Bad, bad vampire!" Xander's stomach was doing that same weird freefall thing it had done the first time he kissed Cordelia.

"I'm evil, pet, what can I say?" Spike looked pleased. "I could call the girls now, and let them know about what really happened at the Fabulous Lady's Night Club." He moved toward the phone.

"Gah! No!" Xander grabbed Spike's arm. He could not believe he was actually going to do this. "I thought you said you wanted to prove how much you liked me?!"

Spike used Xander's hand on his arm to pull him closer. "Do, pet. Let me?"

Xander shivered, but didn't pull away. Spike's lips brushed his ever so lightly. Xander took a deep, shaky breath when Spike's tongue flicked out to lick some of the chocolate from his lips. His stomach was doing an Olympic gymnastics routine. Spike pulled back, and he whimpered.

"I should go, pet. If I stay, I'm gonna have to kiss you some more." Spike stood. Xander was so dazed that Spike actually got to the door before he registered what was happening. His lips tingled where Spike's had touched them.

Spike's hand was on the doorknob, and Xander didn't know what to do. "I ate a pig, once," he blurted out.

Spike turned and looked at him. "Of all the things I thought you might say, Xander, that was definitely not one of them." Spike raised an eyebrow.

Xander got up and insinuated himself between Spike and the door. "I was possessed by a hyena at the time. The girls don't think I remember, but I do." Xander swallowed nervously. "I figure that's worth at least one more kiss, right?"

Spike smiled. "Yeah? Dunno, Xan. That's kind of weak on the secret scale. What're you gonna do when you run out of secrets?" His hands went to either side of Xander's head, and he leaned on the door, bringing his face close to Xander's.

"Bribe you with cake?" Xander struggled to breathe without hyperventilating.

"Don't want cake, pet." Spike was still smiling.

Xander dipped a finger into the frosting on the cake he was still, somehow, holding, and daubed it onto Spike's bottom lip. "Course you do," he whispered, before sucking that lip into his mouth.


End file.
